Jeremy Corbyn, please stand by the British people and give them a Final Say on Brexit

The only point of seeking to delay Brexit would be to hold a new referendum. The Labour leader is betraying his members and the British people in holding back

Sir Keir Starmer suggests Labour could support a second referendum (EPA)

The Labour leader was criticised today by some of his MPs for failing to support a new referendum on leaving the European Union. Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie and Chuka Umunna this morning joined the Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston, who planned to table an amendment next week, to announce that they had decided against it.

Ms Berger put the blame firmly on Jeremy Corbyn: “At a time when Labour should be championing a people’s vote, the leadership avoids answering that call.” Without an indication from Mr Corbyn that he would ask Labour MPs to support it, the amendment stood no prospect of success, and so the cross-party group were wise to hold fire.

We understand the Labour leader’s desire to keep his party as united as possible, and there is a tactical argument for focusing on the amendment in the name of Yvette Cooper, the chair of the Home Affairs Committee, when parliament votes on Tuesday. This amendment would pave the way for a bill to force the prime minister to seek a postponement of our departure from the EU.

However, without a plan to hold a Final Say referendum, there is a danger that the EU would refuse a request to extend the Article 50 timetable. One can imagine Theresa May, like a sulky teenager, reading out a statement in Brussels: “I am required to ask for more time.” When asked what she would do with that extra time, if it were agreed, she might say that she intends to persevere as before.

The primary benefit of seeking to delay Brexit would be to hold a new referendum. Mr Corbyn is betraying his members and the majority of the British people in holding back from advocating this democratic course of action.

To be fair to the Labour leadership – including John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, and Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary – they have, collectively, moved in the right direction since last week’s momentous votes in the House of Commons.

Mr McDonnell has come as close as he could to saying Labour would vote for Ms Cooper’s bill; Sir Keir hardened the party’s position, suggesting that a “public vote” is the only alternative if the prime minister will not agree a permanent customs union, and insisting that remaining in the EU must be on the ballot paper if such a vote is held. They are all, unfortunately, moving too slowly and seem reluctant to push parliament to the point of decision.

It is one thing to want to take a no-deal Brexit “off the table” – and Mr Corbyn is quite right to underline the disastrous consequences of that outcome, for which the nation is patently unprepared. It is also sensible to try to mobilise the widest possible coalition across the Commons – including many ministers and even cabinet ministers – for avoiding that outcome.

But in the end a no-deal Brexit can be avoided only by parliament approving something similar to the prime minister’s deal, or by insisting on postponing Brexit in order to hold a referendum. Mr Corbyn is letting down not just his own supporters but all of the British people by refusing to mobilise a Commons majority to give them the Final Say.